Blauenstein
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| Blauenstein | |
|---|---|
| Kleinlützel | |
View of the castle ruins, 2018 | |
| Site information | |
| Type | hill castle |
| Code | CH-SO |
| Condition | ruin |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 47°25′53″N 7°24′58″E / 47.4315°N 7.4160°E |
| Site history | |
| Built | 13th century |
Blauenstein is a castle fort on a rocky outcrop north of Kleinlützel, Switzerland.
The castle was probably built in the thirteenth century. It suffered damage during the 1356 Basel earthquake[1] and was destroyed in 1411 by the forces of Basel during the Neuenstein War. There are only a few walls remaining today.[2]
As it was at the junction of important Roman pass on Blauenbergkette, the town of Kleinlützel proposes Roman origins for the castle.[3]
This castle should not be confused with Alt-Falkenstein Castle near Balsthal, neighboring Neu-Falkenstein Castle, as Alt-Falkenstein was historically also known as Blauenstein and appears under that name on historical images, probably because at least Neu-Falkenstein was pledged to Rutschmann of Blauenstein for some time around 1400.[4]